Apparatus for grinding, smoothing, and polishing glass



Sept. 22, 1931. c. HIBON 1,824,347

APPARATUS FOR GRINDING, SMOOTHING, AND POLISHING GLASS Filed June 23. 1930 C'harles Hi5 sive members.

Patented Sept. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE CHARLES HIBON, OF ST.-MANDE, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SOCIETE ANONYME DES MANU- FACTURES DES GLACES & PRODUITS CHIMIQUES DE SAINT-GOBAIN,

CIREY, or PARIS, FRANCE CHAUNY &

APPARATUS FOR GRINDING, SMOOTHING, AND POLISHING GLASS Application filed June 23, 1930, Serial No. 463,206, and in France July 13, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the continuous grinding, smoothing and polishing of glass plates. Heretofore the above operations have generally been effected by a series of devices which are arranged above the glass (hereinafter called abrasive members, whether they be for grinding or polishing), one after the other, so that the sheet of glass to be operated on passes in succession to the abra- Hereto fore these abrasive members have reached entirely across the sheet, to be worked on, or have comprised a plurality of similarly arranged similar elements, so that the complete abrasive member reached entirely across the sheet to be polished. The above statements apply whether the abrasive members moved, or where the bed carrying the glass moved or both moved to give'the grinding action.

The arrangement forming the subject of this invention comprises abrasive members, each consisting of elements dissimilar in coverage of the glass, grouped so that the elementsof each member reach entirely across the sheet, to be groundor polished, and that the grouping of the elements of adjacent members is dissimilar.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding marks of reference are designated by like marks of reference:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a grinding apparatus embodying my invention, taken on the line I-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a polishing apparatus embodying my invention, taken on the line IIII of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 3.

In the figures, A represents the raw glass sheet supported on the table B of a continuous chain of tables. Power to drive the tables under the grinding heads is supplied by the gear 1 to the rack 2, which is attached to the bottom of the tables. Power is sup-. plied to the gear 1 by the power shaft 5. The tables are supported on the rails 3 and 4, which run directly under the grinding apparatus.

Above the tables and their trackway are the overhead supports C for the grinding heads. Through these supports extend the spindles e and f, which are driven by any suitable means, these driving the grinding heads E and F. At this point, I call attention to the fact that the grinding heads, instead of being circular, can be elliptical, as shown by the four grinding heads at the bottom of Fig. 2.

Figs. 3 and 4, which show polishing heads instead of grinding heads, have the same construction, except that the polishing heads G and H are composed of circular pads I, instead of solid abrasive members.

It. will be noted that the heads E F or lr Hf on each support C are of different major diameters, and hence of different covering power in respect to the sheet of glass, and that the arrangement of the two heads on adjacent supports is alternated.

In my improved layout, the tables are assembled ahead of the'grinding head and glass is secured thereto in any approved manner. The raw glass advances on the tables until under the grinding heads, where the roughness of the glass is removed, and the table is then conducted to the polishing heads, like those shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The advantages of a device like that disclosed herein are that the abrasive action on the glass is better distributed on the surface of the glass than when the abrasive members each comprise elements of equal diameter, and are actuated in transverse reciprocal movements. The absence of transverse movements in this grinding device, allows the abrasive members to extend out over the glass by a fixed amount, and consequently, these elements can be given a maximum diameter and operative surface. As the larger elements of the successive abrasive members are in stepped or staggered relation, it allows the abrasive members to be brought closer together, thus shortening the length of bed and diminishing the uncovered area of the glass, and thereby reducing the risk of breakage resulting from chillage of the exposed sur-. face. In a device of this kind, the speed of each' of the elements of the abrasive members can be controlled independent of the other elements of the same abrasive members. This means that the entire plant can be governed and operated in a most economical manner. The last statement is not true Where the abrasive members are elliptical, as shown at the bottom of Fig. 2, because coverage of the elements of the same members in this case overlap and they must, therefore, have a timed relation.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a surfacing device for the continuous grinding, smoothing and polishing of glass, the combination of a travelling support for the glass to be surfaced, a series of abrasive members mounted above said support, each member consisting of elements dissimilar in coverage which extend across the support, the dissimilar elements of adjacent members being arranged in reverse order.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailix my signature.

CHARLES HIBON. 

